The Grifter and The Thief
by Darkravensflight
Summary: Rogue/Gambit. When Gambit is sent from 1981 to the 21st century he doesn't know if he'll be able to handle it, but once he meets a girl, who goes by Rogue, will he ever want to return home? These are the adventures of a Grifter and a Thief.
1. Chapter 1: A Long New Orleans Night

**Hello everyone, I know sucky summary I may edit it later on, this is a prequel to Hiding the Past and it's much better than the sequel. This story will be longer than my other two and it'll span over two or ****four years so it'll probably be a bit more fun and lighthearted than my other two. This will be mostly focused on Gambit, I hope y'all like it!**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!**

The Grifter and The Thief

A Long New Orleans Night.

1981

The New Orleans street were bustling with people walking up and down bourbon street to the beautiful french quarter, it was 4th of July and the festivities were still going strong, one man though, loved this time of year mostly because it was when business boomed. He had medium length auburn hair, a light tan from being in the bayou in the summer, and he wore grey and purple armor and shin length boots but what made him different from everyone else he had red on black eye's. He was also a mutant, he could 'charge' almost any object he wanted.

His name is Remy LeBeau, and he is a thief, yes that's right, a thief. He enjoyed his job very much, he also belonged to the infamous New Orleans Thieves' Guild, and to add to that, he knew these streets like the back of his hand. He was orphaned as an infant, he grew up on these streets until when he was a child and was than raised by the leader of the guild when he had attempted to steal his wallet. Gambit, as he went by, smiled at the fond memories but his face suddenly went serious as he climbed down the wall and went to work, he walked out of the alleyway and into the busy streets as he walked he pick pocketed every rich man he came across, he smirked how many didn't even notice they were gone until he was out of sight.

Remy came across a man yelling very loudly at a woman, he had assumed the man was drunk, and Remy stopped and watched to see if the conversation escalated but it soon died down and the conversation was over. Remy returned to pickpocketing when he looked up and saw someone sitting on the roof of the building, he smirked and went toward the building, climbed up onto the roof, and he quietly walked up behind them.

" Like the view Chére?" He asked, the woman jumped about ten feet before she spun around and grabbed a knife out of its holster and pointed it at him, she had short blonde hair, violet eye's, and was wearing silver armor and a mint green cloak, she gave him a cold glare.

" Remy! Ya scared me half to death!" She exclaimed but sighed in relief as she saw it was him, she holstered the knife as Remy chuckled.

" My apologies Belle, but I couldn't help it, you looked so beautiful I just couldn't disturb you." Remy said, Belladonna Boudreaux, his fiancé, and daughter to the leader of the Assassin's Guild. She walked up to him, smirking, and wrapped her arms around his neck and she leaned forward and kissed him tenderly. Remy returned the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her waist, Belladonna broke the kiss and she looked up at him.

" So, how's work?" She asked as she turned to look back out at the sea of people Remy shrugged as he crouched down next to her.

" Okay as usual, you?" He glanced over at her and saw her shrugged nonchalantly.

" Slow." She stated, he nodded and they sat there watching all the people come and go, their marriage had been arranged when they were kids, neither one got a say in the matter, but if it was keep a war from happening between the Assassin's and the Thieves' Guilds than both were willing to marry each other. Belladonna sighed and stood up after a while Remy looked up and she had her arms crossed.

" I'm going to a different rooftop, see ya later chére?" She asked and Remy nodded as she turned around, ran, and jumped off the rooftop and landed on the next one. Remy smirked, oh how he loved that woman, he stood and stretched his limbs before slowly climbing down the wall and he landed with a quiet 'thud' on the ground. He walked out into the busy streets and resumed pick pocketing, once the festival had ended he had picked enough pockets to last him till the end of the year.

* * *

Remy walked up to the Guild mansion and smirked, the outside was decorated in the French 18th century style, it was surrounded by tree's and landscape, which gave the people that live there loads of privacy, the house itself was a cream color with ten windows, two wings, gravel walk/drive way, and three chimney's. Remy smiled as he walked up the stone steps, opened the door, and walked into the house.

Remy was welcomed by no one, which surprised him, usually he was greeted by Tante Mattie, but he wasn't. He was reminded of that time when he was abducted by Stryker and his goons and taken to that island, a cold chill ran down his spine. He pulled out a couple of cards, along with his bō staff, and walked slowly and quietly to the kitchen.

Remy pushed the door open and saw Tante Mattie sitting there, drinking coffee with his sister-in-law, Mercy. Remy put the cards and bō staff back in his trench coat pockets as he walked inside, Mercy looked up as she, suddenly, noticed him.

" Where've ya been Remy, Tante's been worried sick about you." Mercy said, Tante Mattie nodded as she grabbed her cup of coffee, walked up to him, and wagged her finger at him.

" Ya about made me a nervous wreck, boy, I swear one of these days ya gonna give me a heart attack!" She exclaimed worriedly, but relief was written all over her face. Remy chuckled and held his hands up in mock surrender as he walked toward the fridge, grabbed himself a bottle of water, and sat down at the kitchen table. Tante Mattie shook her head as she poured herself one last cup of coffee, she sat herself down across from Remy and cut him a look.

" What?" He asked innocently and Tante Mattie smiled and she shook her head.

" Ya was out with Belladonna, don't even try to lie, I'm assuming y'all were out for Fourth of July." Remy shook his head as he took a sip of water.

" Nah, I mean yeah we met while I was out on the street but, no, we didn't go on a date or anything." He shrugged and Mercy nodded before she gave him a serious look, that she usually gave to Henri.

" Remy, ya getting married to her tomorrow! Ya shouldn't even had seen her today, ya know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding day!" She exclaimed quickly, Remy frowned slightly.

" I thought that was looking at the bride in her wedding dress?" He said, confused. Mercy just rolled her eye's as Tante Mattie's shoulder's moved up and down with silent laughter.

" Oh whatever, I'm so tired I'm a little scatter brained." She excused herself from the table, kissed Remy and Tante's cheeks, and she put her coffee mug in the sink before heading off to bed. It was only Tante Mattie and Remy.

" Remy, I hope you're not only marrying Belle because your father said so." Tante Mattie said, Remy took a swig of his water before he sighed.

" You worry too much sometimes Tante," Remy said as he leaned back in his chair, Tante just rolled her eye's as a hint of a smile graced her lips.

" I have a reason to worry about you, you're alway's reckless and bull headed, ya do the opposite of what anyone tells you." She said pointing a finger at him.

" I won't deny I'm a little reckless, but bull headed? I highly doubt that." He crossed his arms over his chest and Tante Mattie scoffed.

" I don't."

" Anyway, I think I'm gonna go to bed." Remy stood up, threw his half empty bottle of water away, and he walked over to Tante Mattie.

" And before you say I'm ignoring your earlier question, no, I'm not only marrying her because pére said so, I'm doing it because I love her." He kissed Tante Mattie on the cheek before he left the kitchen and went up to his room.

* * *

Once he walked into his room he took off his trench coat, threw it over a chair, and collapsed on his bed. It had been a very long day and tomorrow was going to be an even _longer_ days, He stood up slowly and went into his bathroom and took a shower. When he had gotten out of the shower, put on a t-shirt and some shorts, he was about to get into bed when he heard someone knock on his door, he walked over to it and when he opened it to reveal his brother, Henri.

" What'd ya want Henri?" Remy asked tiredly, Henri smiled and walked inside the room. " Oh no, please, do come in won't ya!" Remy added annoyed.

" Okay I will." Henri said as he sat down in Remy's desk chair, Remy sat on the edge of his bed and looked at Henri.

" Why are you here?"

" Can't I come and see if my brother is excited about his wedding tomorrow?" Remy rolled his eye's and rubbed his face with his palms.

" Not you too." Henri chuckled and shook his head.

" What? Tante scared you're not marrying Belladonna out of love?" Henri asked and Remy nodded.

" And she thinks I'm only doing it because of pére." Henri nodded as he leaned back in his chair.

" And are you?"

" Am I what?"

" Are you marrying Belladonna just because Pére had arranged it?" Remy blinked than shrugged.

" No, Yes, Maybe, I don't know." Remy said, exasperated. Henri nodded sympathetically as he stood and head to the door.

" Get some sleep Remy, you have a big day tomorrow." With that he walked out the door and Remy nodded, tomorrow was going to be a life changing day, for better or worse he didn't know yet. He crawled into bed and fell smooth asleep.

* * *

Far away a woman began planning her next move, she wanted... Revenge.

" I'm coming for you, Remy LeBeau."

**Wonder who the woman is? I still have writer's block for the sequel but I'm hoping it'll go away soon, also I'm setting it in the early 80's because it seemed to fit the story a little better and sorry it's short. Please don't forget to review and I hope y'all enjoyed!**


	2. Chapter 2: The Wedding from Hell

**Hi everyone, here's the second chapter I know it's a little early but I'm feeling generous haha. Anywho I hope y'all enjoy and thanks to everyone who has faved, followed, and reviewed!**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!**

The Wedding From Hell

Remy opened his eye's slowly as the blinding morning sun shone in the sky through his window, he sat up, rubbed the sleep out of his eye's and he swung his legs over the side of the bed and took a shower.

Once he got out of the shower he put on his tux and he was tying his dress shoes when someone knocked on his door, he heard it open and in came Jean-Luc LeBeau, his father, and Henri.

" Excited?" Jean-Luc asked Remy looked up and shrugged.

" More nervous than excited." He laughed and Henri nodded as he sat down in the chair across from Remy and chuckled.

" I remember when Mercy and I were getting married, I was so nervous I thought I was going to throw up." Remy laughed and nodded.

" Yeah, and Tante said if you threw up and ruined that the she'd knock you into next week." Jean-Luc chuckled as he nodded.

" Speaking of, where is Tante?" Remy asked and Jean-Luc looked at him.

" She's at the church, helping Mercy to get the wedding all set up." Remy nodded and he stood up as Jean-Luc looked at his watch and told them they should be heading toward the church.

* * *

Remy was anxious as he stood at the altar, waiting for Belladonna to walk down the aisle. His heart was racing, palms were sweating, knees felt like jelly... Wait. Remy LeBeau _never_ and I repeat _never_ got nervous and he wasn't about to start now. He looked up as the Wedding March began to play and he saw Belladonna and his jaw almost dropped.

Her golden blonde hair was down and loose, her ivory lace full wedding dress reached the floor, she wore a blue sash around her waist and she wore a shoulder length veil and her eye's were bright and shinning with happiness. When she had reached the altar her smile just got wider.

Anything the Priest had said went through one ear and out the other, Remy just couldn't take his eye's off of her, when the priest asked Remy to repeat after him Remy did as requested and when he asked Belladonna she did the same.

" Do you, Remy LeBeau, take Belladonna Boudreaux to be you lawful wedded wife?" The Priest asked

" I Do."

" Do you, Belladonna Boudreaux, take Remy LeBeau to be your lawful wedded husband?"

" I Do."

" Than by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." After the Priest said that Remy wrapped his arms around her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck and they kissed.

Once they broke apart and began walking down the aisle and was almost outside when Julien, Belladonna's brother, came out of one of the pews and began yelling at Remy.

" How can you let this thief marry an assassin?!" He yelled incredulously and Remy held a hand up at him.

" Look, mon ami, maybe you should calm down-" Remy barely got the last word out before Julien punched him in the face and Belladonna had a look of horror on her face.

" JULIEN!" She yelled and Julien looked at her as she stalked up to him.

" Don't you 'Julien' me, Belle, this low life thief is not good enough for you! You deserve better!" He yelled and pointed at Remy, who wiped away the blood on his lip, he stood and walked up to Julien, who was glaring intently at Remy.

" I challenge you, LeBeau. By the code Duello. You've defiled my sister, but you won't live to defile the name of Boudreaux!"*

" I have done nothing but honor the name Boudreaux for Bella Donna's sake." Remy replied " I accept your challenge."

" I hope you know, LeBeau, we're not fighting at first blood. We're fighting to the death." Remy nodded as he grabbed a dagger and a saber and Julien did the same.

" I wouldn't have it any other way." Remy said as he got into his fighting stance, Julien did as well before their swords clashed.

Remy parried most of Julien's attacks, but he alway's seemed to get cocky, Julien did a straight thrust as Remy tried to dodge but he ended up getting a cut across his arm. Remy winced as Julien smirked and knocked Remy's sword out of his hands and it skidded five feet away Remy crouched down to get it but Julien stepped down on his sword.

" See, you're not match for an Assassin! You're nothing but a low life thief!" He laughed and did notice the magenta coming from Remy's hand.

" Well I'm not only a thief," Remy stood from his crouching position and he glared dangerously at Julien before throwing the charged dagger at him. " I'm also a mutant." It landed in his chest and went 'boom'.

" JULIEN!" Remy heard Bella Donna shriek she and her father ran over to Julien's lifeless body, Remy felt someone put a hand on his shoulder and saw his father looking relieved but also sad.

" C'mon, let's have your wound looked at." He mumbled, Remy didn't argue but he turned around and followed Jean-Luc to a doctor.

* * *

Remy sat down in a chair as the doctor person wrapped a bandage around his chest, he didn't have to listen to know they were talking about him. Discussing what they should do with him, he heard the wood door creak open and his father had a remorseful look in his eye's, he walked up to Remy and sat on the edge of the table.

" If they're going to take my life than so be it." Remy stated, he was getting tired of the uncomfortable silence, Jean-Luc looked to the ground and sighed.

" They don't want your life Remy, it would've come to that if your wife hadn't spoken for you, but their is one thing." Jean-Luc looked up at him, Remy saw not only sadness in his eye's but pain too.

" They're going to exile you."

" What? They're going to send me into exile, I'll never be able to come back here!" The bewilderment wasn't only evidenced in his voice, but also in his eye's. This city was his home, he grew up here, his family was here, how could they take that all away from him.

" It is fair though," a cold voice said in his head " You took all that away from Julien, the only difference is you're still breathing." Remy shook his head but knew what the voice had said was true.

" Your wife is the only reason you're still breathing right now Remy." Jean-Luc said as Bella Donna ran up to Remy, Jean-Luc walked out of the room to give them privacy.

" You, you did this?" Remy could hardly keep the anger out of his voice.

" Oh Remy," Bella Donna threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, which he didn't return. " I couldn't-wouldn't let them kill you." He almost said she should've let them kill him but he kept that to himself.

" Take me with you, please!" She begged Remy pulled away from her, grabbed her upper arms gently but firmly, and stared into her eye's.

" You really want to leave your family behind? Leave your life behind?" Remy said " I give a year, maybe two, before you start realizing you made the wrong choice." Remy took a couple of steps back.

" I don't want you to spend the rest of your life regretting that decision." Remy turned his back to her, knowing she was probably holding back tears, and began walking away. This was turning out to be the wedding from hell.

* * *

Remy had gotten Tante Mattie to bring him a duffle bag worth of clothes they met at the cemetery and, after a tearful goodbye, he walked out and was heading toward the bus station, when someone tapped on his shoulder, he turned around to see a porcelain skinned woman, with silver hair in tight curls and dark brown eye's looking at him.

" Excuse me, are you Remy LeBeau?" She asked her voice sounded as some and sweet as honey, she was wearing a red and black stripped corset top with tight sleeves that flared out when they reached her wrists. A mini skirt that went to mid thigh, she wore a red and black cloak with the hood down, and she had thigh high charcoal boots on. Remy smirked at her.

" Yes that would be me," He said " But, unfortunately, Remy doesn't know you're belle name." The woman smirk herself.

" Oh darling, you don't know how unhappy I am that it's you. But, I would be happy if you hadn't destroyed my life." The woman said and she threw a glass ball down on the ground and smoke came up and surrounded Remy, he coughed and waved the smoke away with one hand, and with the other he reached for his cards.

" Oh don't bother with those," the woman said " Oh, and as for my name it's Emilie." She whispered seductively in his ear and he groaned and fell to the ground.

* * *

Remy groaned again as he opened his eye's slowly, the bright sun was about to kill him. Wait, bright sun! It was late evening when that chienne* knocked him out, he sat up slowly and rubbed his eye's. He was in the middle of an alleyway, he stood up and stumbled out of the alleyway and he pulled out a pair of sunglasses out of his trench coat pocket and he slipped them on before walking onto the sidewalk.

It was busy today, he looked around and saw they cars looked different, _very_ different. He frowned and walked to the french quarter and saw it was just as busy as normal, except people were talking on small devices he frowned, it couldn't possibly be cell phones, those horrible things were big and bulky he accidentally bumped into someone who was typing on another small device. He frowned, something was very off.

Remy walked up to a newspaper dispenser and he pulled out a newspaper to see what day it was, his eye's widened, his heart stopped, his breath hitched in his throat and his palms began to sweat. The date on the newspaper said.

August 22nd 2014.

***1: That quote was taken from the Gambit Origins comic, so I don't own it!**

***2: That's, supposedly, french for b!tch. **

**Well, how's that for a time warp! (I know, bad joke), But anyway I hope y'all enjoyed it, sorry if it was short and confusing, and don't forget to tell me what y'all thought!**


	3. Chapter 3: Rogue

**Hi everyone! Here's chapter three, I edited chapter 2 a bit but not enough so you have to re-read it. Anyway this is one of my favorite chapter's and I hope y'all enjoy! Thanks to everyone that has faved, followed, and reviewed! I really appreciate it!**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!**

Rogue

Gambit nearly fainted, 2014 he half expected there to be flying cars and houses high in the sky! He dropped the paper and began walking, not really knowing where to go. He felt completely numb, why had that woman send him into the future? How did he destroy her life? He doesn't even remember meeting her! Gambit sighed as he walked to nowhere, he finally stopped when he stumbled across the café du monde, the smell of beignets and chicory hit his nose and he took a deep breath before walking in, sitting down, and ordering a cup of coffee and a beignets.

Remy was still in shock over the revelation of being in a different century, he wondered if anyone missed him. Did they even know he was gone? He doubted it, he took a sip of his coffee and sighed he'd have to learn to adapt, that's what all great thieves' had to learn: Adapt to your surroundings. He took a bite of the warm beignet and he couldn't keep the smile from forming on his face, he could easily remember his Tante Mattie making home-made beignets, they could rival even the café du mondes. This made Remy sad again, even though he was home, he felt homesick.

" Hey! You, stop!" Remy heard a man yell, he looked toward the yelling when he saw, what appeared to be, a wealthy business man holding onto someone's arm. Whoever the man was yelling at was concealed by a green cloak with the hood up. Gambit got up as the person was struggling to get out of the angry mans grip, he walked up to them and he slipped his sunglasses on before stepping behind the person wearing the cloak.

" Is there a problem here mon ami?" Remy asked politely, the person wearing the cloak looked up at him, Remy glanced at them and saw, just by the face shape, it was a woman. The business man glared at Remy.

" Yes there is a problem! This thief just stole my wallet!" He pointed at the brown leather wallet in the woman's hand, Remy tried to quickly think of something before he smiled at the man.

" Really? Oh I am terribly sorry sir, you see, this is my dear sister and, well, sometimes she can't tell right from wrong. Darling, when I said we would get the money for food somehow, I didn't mean to steal it." Remy explained and he gave the girl a wink, signaling for her to play along, she must've caught onto it because she said.

" I thought that's what you meant, I'm sorry. But ya see, mister, our dear mother is terribly ill and we have no money for food, water, her medicine, or even shelter. I just was trying to help, I didn't know stealing was something wrong, I just," At this point she started choking up " I don't know what else to do! I don't wanna lose my mom and my brother here, he can't do everything by himself and I... I just was trying to do the right thing!" She began to sob hysterically, she hid her face in her hands as she handed the man his wallet.

Remy blinked, this woman was selling the story, so much so that Remy was starting to believe it. But the man sighed as he opened his wallet, took some money out, and handed it to her.

" How's five hundred? Is that enough?" He asked and the girl nodded before taking the money and the man turned on his heel, she told him thank you but he grumbled in response.

The woman sniffed and she brought her head out of her hands and she smiled as she counted the cash. She turned to look at her rescuer and she blinked, he was tall, very handsome, and had a Cajun accent. His eye's were hidden behind very dark sunglasses, he looked down at her and smirked.

" Heh sucker."

" That's quite a talent you got there chére." She looked at him and shrugged before pulling her hood down, she had brown hair with shocking white streaks that was tied in a bun, she had tan skin, bright green eye's and the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. He shook the thoughts away as she began talking.

" Anyone can do it, you just gotta sell it." She shrugged before walking away, Remy ran after her.

" Hey wait! I wanna talk to you!" Remy said as the woman turned around and put a hand on her hip and she arched an eyebrow at him.

" What about?" She asked, slightly annoyed, Remy crossed his arms and he motioned his head toward the café du monde.

" Why don't you have a cup of coffee with me." He stated as he turned on his heel and walked back to the café, this being a new era and not knowing if any of his old acquaintances are still alive, he decided he would try to form an alliance with her, even if for only a moment.

The woman followed behind him, warily mind you, and when he sat down in his chair she sat down across from him. She ordered a coffee and he ordered two fresh beignets, once the waiter put their orders on the table she took a sip of her coffee before looking at him.

" What's your name?" Remy asked, the woman smirked.

" Rogue."

" Gambit." Remy put his hand out and the woman took his hand in her gloved one before shaking it, but Remy turned it so he could kiss the back of her hand, but she yanked it back. Remy blinked, no one had done that to him before, Rogue tried to hide the smile that crept onto her lips, this one was a smooth talker alright and, apparently, she knocked him off balance.

" It's a pleasure to meet you, Rogue." He said as he, took a sip of his coffee and made sure no one was listening in on their conversation, and she shrugged.

" I'm not too sure if it's a pleasure to meet you though," She leaned back in her chair, Remy just noticed she was wearing a short red/black plaid skirt with black pantyhose underneath, she wore black knee high heeled boots, and a red tank top with red ribbon laced on the sides, she also was wearing black leather opera length gloves. " What'd ya wanna talk about?"

" Is that a Mississippi accent I hear?" He asked, suddenly noticing her accent and she shrugged.

" Yes, but stop changing the subject Cajun." She said, annoyance lacing every word, Remy smirked.

" Just trying to get to know you better chére," He sighed " I wanted to know if you'd like to work with me." She snorted.

" First off, don't call me 'chére'. Secondly, Why on earth would ah wanna work with you?" She arched an eye brow at him before leaning back in her chair.

" Because, we could use each other. I'm not Familiar with... Ah... All of this." He said, gesturing to the people on the portable computers (or at least that's what he thought they were) and on the small devices that he could only assume were cell phones.

" You're not familiar with technology?" Rogue asked, confused and bewildered, she thought everyone was familiar with smart phones, tablets, and lap tops.

" Well, unless you have big old computers and floppy disks than maybe I could be of some help." He laughed and Rogue couldn't help but laugh as well.

" You mean, anything from the '80's?" She asked, she certainly hoped he wasn't one of those people that lived in the eighties.

" Pretty much." He laughed slightly, and Rogue nodded.

" Okay, but what's in it for me?" Remy took a sip of his coffee and a bite of his beignet.

" What's in it for you? Well, I'm a professional thief and I can teach you how to be a proper thief, but it seems you're something else entirely, also I can make these the best days of your life." He leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head, Rogue frowned slightly as she leaned forward slightly.

" How long will we be working together?" She asked, she liked this deal but was still wary of it.

" Well, first it depends on how well your training goes, second, it depends on how long you want to work together." Rogue looked thoughtful for a moment.

She liked the idea, of being trained by a thief, but what if he was a cop just impersonating a thief? Than she'd be in deep... Trouble. Rogue took a bite of her beignet before answering.

" Fine, but if you double cross me or if I think you're going to, you'll live to regret it." She stood up but Gambit grabbed her gently by the wrist.

" Meet back here at 6:00 A.M. and don't be late." He stood up and walked away, Rogue shook her head, what had she gotten herself into?

* * *

Remy had found this cheap hotel and had stolen some money from people to pay for it, he knew New Orleans like the back of his hand so it wasn't hard for him to find an abandoned warehouse that he could train Rogue in. He was currently sitting at the Café du monde again and he looked at his watch, 5:58, Rogue still hadn't showed up. He was beginning to think she wouldn't show until he felt someone put their hand on his shoulder. He turned and smirked when he saw who it was.

" You had me worried petite, thought you got cold feet." Rogue sat down across from him, she was wearing a 3/4 length sleeves and long baggy sweat pants and wrist length gloves, with a pair of combat boots.

" Sugah, Ah never get cold feet." She smirked as she stood up abruptly. " Shall we?" She asked and Gambit stood up and the two of them began walking toward the warehouse.

Rogue blinked when she walked into the warehouse, it was big and spacious and it had exposed beams going every which way, she looked at Gambit than looked in the center of the room. There was a mannequin wearing a coat, she frowned.

" What's going on?" She asked and Gambit just smirked.

" I wanna see if you can pick that mannequins pocket." He moved over to the other side of the room, and Rogue scoffed, this was going to be easy.

She walked over to the mannequin and she walked up next to it and went to grab his wallet when she heard a bell, she retracted her hand quickly and Remy chuckled.

" You thought this was going to be easy." He walked up to her and she glared at him.

" You put bell in the pockets?"

" You see, everytime those bells are disturbed, that means your mark knows you're trying to steal from them." Gambit explained and he walked past the mannequin and pulled out a wallet without disturbing the bells.

" See, simple." Rogue blinked and groaned, this was going to be much harder than she thought.

**Hope y'all enjoyed, don't forget to review, and chapter four will hopefully be longer than this one. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4: Training and 'Truth'

**Hey everyone, here's chapter four it's a little short and I'm sorta in a funk at the moment so it's probably not as good as it could be but I can alway's edit it later on. Hope y'all like it, don't forget to tell me what you think, and thanks to everyone that has faved, followed, and reviewed!**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!**

Training and 'Truth'

Rogue huffed slightly, this was her 3rd attempt at picking a mannequins pocket and the bell's kept ringing! She was beginning to get frustrated, her 'teacher' as he called himself, wasn't much help. He chuckled as she made the bell go off again.

" What's so damn funny?" She asked in annoyance, Gambit stood up and walked over to her.

" You're thinking to much chére," he shook his head " Don't think. Just do." Rogue blinked, that was his helpful advice! Don't think. Just do?! She sighed and didn't think about it. She walked past the mannequin, stuck her hand in it's pocket, and slowly pulled out the wallet she cowered slightly, waiting for the bell to go off, but it never did. She grinned like a manic and couldn't help but jump up and down.

" Ah did it! Ya see that Swamp boy, Ah did it!" She said happily, Gambit nodded and he opened a comic book.

" Good, now you just gotta do that 999 more times." Rogue's eye's widened, her jaw dropped, and her mind went blank.

* * *

1 MONTH LATER:

Rogue breathed a sigh of relief, she had just finished pickpocketing the mannequin for the 1,000th time and she felt pretty damn proud, She threw the wallet at Gambit and he caught it with ease.

" There, Ah finished your 'training' now what?" She asked, hand on her hip, Gambit looked at her and he stood up, walked over to her and he pulled out something small and made of metal.

" One, I can't believe it took you a month to learn that," Rogue rolled her eye's. " Second, here." He handed her the metal piece.

Rogue moved it from one hand to the other, she had no idea what it was, she saw a small red button and she pressed it. The short metal object extended into a long metal staff she looked from the staff to Gambit and back again.

" It's called a bō staff, ever used one before?" He asked and she shrugged slightly, Gambit pulled his bō staff out and he pressed the red button.

" Well I guess you'll be getting a lesson." Before Rogue had time to react, Gambit lightly hit her in the ribs she yelped slightly, more in surprise than in pain, she got into her defensive position and was ready for his next attack. He went to hit her left arm but she blocked it, than she feigned a left but actually went to hit him on the side of the face but stopped short.

" 1-1." She said, Gambit nodded and he went to hit the back of her leg but Rogue blocked it, she countered by trying to hit his knee but he blocked it. They continued parrying each others attacks, occasionally one of them would get a lucky hit. Rogue swung the staff and almost hit his abdomen but he caught it with his left hand and he kicked her legs out from under her and she fell down on the ground, Gambit straddled her hips and he held her bō against her chest.

" 10-9, I win." He said a little out of breath, their body's glistening in sweat, their breathing heavy, his brown eye's seemed to have a bit of red in them and he had a look in them, a look of want or maybe lust, Rogue looked at the muscles in his arms as they went a little lax. That's when she remembered that she was wearing a short sleeved top and wrist length gloves, she pulled her legs toward her, positioned them underneath his stomach and, with all he strength, she pushed him off of her. He landed with a thud, all the wind knocked out of him, he sat up and looked over at Rogue, who stood up, and glared at him.

" Is something wrong, chére?" He asked, he didn't know if maybe she had a boyfriend or maybe a husband.

" Yes something's wrong! Ah could've-!" She stopped, even though they had known each other a month, she hadn't told him she was a mutant, her ability was to absorb people's thoughts, memories, and their power, if they were a mutant.

" You could've?" He asked, Rogue blinked than she shook her head.

" Never mind, Ah think we're done for the day." She said as she walked past him and toward the warehouse doors, Gambit stood up, grabbed his bō staff, and his leather duster and followed her out the door.

* * *

They began walking toward Rogue's apartment, which happened to be in the French Quarter, they walked up the stairs and they stood in front of Rogue's room. She turned to look at him a small smile on her face.

" Thanks for walking me back here and for the training today, same time tomorrow?" She asked and Gambit nodded.

" Yep, well, g'night Rogue." He said and She nodded as she opened her room door, she stopped, and turned around to look at him.

" Hey umm Gambit," he turned and looked at her, she stared at her shoes. " Do you wanna come in and have dinner with me?" He blinked, this was the first time she had invited him for dinner, he nodded and followed her inside.

Rogue closed the door behind her, the room was 1,100 square foot, it had two bedrooms and two bathrooms. It was a little big for just one person but she used the other room mostly for storage. She walked into the small kitchen area as Gambit walked into the sitting area.

" Nice place." He complimented, he sat down on the couch and Rogue nodded, she poured two glasses of wine and she walked to where Gambit was sitting.

" Thanks, it wasn't cheap that's for sure." She laughed slightly as she handed Gambit his glass, he nodded in thanks and he took a sip Rogue sat down next to him and she also took a sip of her wine.

" It's a pretty big place for only one person." He commented, Rogue set her glass down on the coffee table and she nodded.

" Yeah, but it provides great storage space." She joked and he nodded as he took another sip of his wine, they sat there in silence for, what seemed like an hour, as the pizza cooked.

" Ah hope you don't mind pizza for dinner." She stood up and walked into the kitchen and grabbed a pizza out of the oven and she walked over to the coffee table, placed the box of pizza in the center, and sat down on the floor. Gambit stood up and he sat down across from her and he grabbed a piece of the pizza but quickly dropped it.

" It's hot." She said and he rolled his eye's, he up the piece of pizza again, when it had cooled some, and he took a bite. He and Rogue ate quietly, and once they had finished Rogue grabbed the empty box of pizza and threw it away, she walked back into the sitting area and she sat down on the couch next to Gambit. He looked over at her, she seemed really weird when they were sparring earlier he took a sip of his wine before speaking.

" What happened earlier? When we were sparring?" He asked and Rogue looked over at him and frowned.

" What're you talking about?"

" The skin thing, you started to say something but stopped. What were you going to tell me?" Rogue sighed as she took a big gulp of her wine, she could tell a lie or suck it up and tell him the truth.

" Ah... Ah have a rare skin condition." She lied, well, it wasn't a flat out lie. She just couldn't risk telling him she was a mutant, but wait, why did it matter? Why did she hate lying to him? And why was she so concerned about what he thought? His eye brows raised considerably.

" Okay, and is that why you wear gloves all the time?" He pointed at her gloved hand and she nodded, she usually never felt this bad about lying, but this time, she was really starting to regret it. Gambit looked at his watch and saw the time, he stood up and put his duster on.

" I should be going, 6:00 a.m. sharp." He said as he walked toward the door and Rogue followed.

" Ah wouldn't miss it for the world." She said with a small smile, and he nodded, opened the door, and walked out. Rogue closed the door behind him, locked the door, and took a shower before heading to bed.

Gambit pulled out a pack of cigarettes and, as he walked toward his hotel, pulled one out of the pack and lit it with the tip of his finger. He took a drag, held the smoke in for a little while, and he let it out slowly, something was off about Rogue and he couldn't put his finger on it, if she actually had a skin condition than he couldn't tell. He took a longer drag of his cigarette and he held it much longer, relishing in the taste, before he let it out again. He put the cigarette out as he walked up to his hotel room, opened the door, and walked in. Gambit took his duster off and threw it over a chair before going and taking a shower, once he got out of the shower he put on some shorts and a t-shirt and he crawled into bed and fell asleep quickly.

* * *

Rogue walked into the warehouse and frowned, there was rope tied to the rafters, going in all different directions, and crouching on one of the ropes sat Gambit Rogue shook her head.

" What in the world are you doing?" She asked as Gambit jumped down and landed with a small thud, he walked over to her with a cocky smirk.

" I'm just testing your balance today, every good thief has to have good balance and flexibility." He said and Rogue nodded slightly.

" What happens if Ah fall?" She asked and Gambit shrugged.

" I'll catch you, but hopefully that won't happen." Gambit said as he walked underneath a rope, Rogue walked over to the ladder and she climbed it till she reached the beam. She stood up slowly and swallowed hard, her palms began to sweat, her heart was racing, and she had butterflies in her stomach she was liable to throw up at any point. She took her boots off and she walked over to the rope.

" You're gonna catch me right?" Rogue asked worriedly, Gambit nodded.

" Yes chére, if you go to fall I'll catch you." He than mumbled. " Or at least I'll try to anyway."

" I heard that!" She yelled down at him, she took a deep breath, held it, than let it out slowly. She began to slowly walk on the rope, she began to tilt slightly to the right, than the left, and she was getting even more anxious as she slowly walked. She than felt a huge gust of window come through one of the broken windows, it blew her off balance and she gripped the rope with her toes, hoping to stay on, she went for ward than backward, arms flailing every which way till finally.

She fell.

**Did he catch her? Or did he not? Hope y'all enjoyed, I'm currently writing a sad one-shot but it's really not connected to this story I'll put two hints on my profile, any-who, thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5: Fais Do-Do

**Hey everyone! Two updates in two days, I'm on a roll! Haha anyway this chapters kinda meh I guess, Also the next chapter will have a heist in it and so will every chapter after that so if anyone has any particular heist they would like me to write please don't hesitate to let me know, anyway hope y'all like it thanks to everyone that has faved, followed, and reviewed! I really appreciate it!**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!**

Fais do-do

She fell.

Rogue was falling faster and faster to the ground, she was mentally making her will incase Gambit didn't catch her. She closed her eye's and she landed in someone's arms but with the sudden weight in the person's arms they also fell to the ground. Rogue looked over to see who attempted to catch her and it was Gambit.

" You need to lay off the fried chicken and beignets chére." Gambit said, Rogue glared at him and she stood up and began to walk toward where her boots were, he stood up and followed her.

" I was joking Roguey, no need to take it so seriously." He said, She looked over at him and if looks could kill, he would be dead.

" One, don't call me 'Roguey' or 'chére', second Ah'm not mad about the joke, Ah'm not mad at all, a little irritated but not mad." She said as she went to put her boots on, he grabbed her upper arm before Rogue could say anything. She felt the pull that came with her powers, she saw all the veins in his hand and face, she pulled away immediately and she saw a bunch of memories that weren't hers. She closed her eye's and she created a hallway, which stored the psyches and memories of the people she had absorbed, and she opened an empty door and she put his psyche and memories in there and she locked the door. Rogue opened her eye's to see Gambit unconscious, she ran out of the warehouse and went back to her apartment.

* * *

Gambit groaned as he lifted his head off the ground, the sun was setting outside, he frowned. It should be noon not evening, he slowly stood up and he shook his head. Everything was blurry, although he did recall touching Rogue's arm than everything went dark now it felt like he had been hit by a train. He looked around and saw no sign of Rogue anywhere, he walked out of the warehouse and went to Rogue's apartment.

He walked up to Rogue's room and he knocked, he heard some muffling inside.

" Go away." He heard Rogue say from the other side of the door, Gambit shook his head.

" Can't do that chére, we need to talk." Gambit said and went to open the door but it was locked, he went to pick the lock before he heard a 'click' and the door opened slightly and he saw some of Rogue's face.

" Just leave me alone, please." She pleaded and Gambit shook his head.

" Like I said, I can't do that." Rogue sighed as she looked down at the ground.

" Why can't you just do what Ah ask?" Asked Rogue, and Gambit smiled.

" Cause I'm stubborn, now please let me in." Rogue opened the door and Gambit walked in, she closed the door behind him and she slowly walked behind him.

" Do you want something to drink?" She offered and Gambit shook his head, Rogue walked into the kitchen and she grabbed her glass of wine and she sat down on the floor, Gambit walked over and he sat down on the floor across from her.

" We gotta talk about what happened Rogue." She looked at him and saw the seriousness in his brown eye's, she shook her head.

" No we don't, you could just forget it ever happened." She said and he shook his head.

" You're a mutant aren't you? That's actually the reason you wear gloves and long sleeves in the middle of summer." He said, Rogue looked down than looked back up at him. She took a big gulp of her wine before speaking.

" Yes, Ah'm a mutant. Ah absorb people's psyches, memories, and if they're a mutant their powers. Unlike some mutants Ah can't control my powers, any time someone touches my skin ah absorb them." Gambit blinked, he could see the hurt in her eye's as she spoke about her powers, Gambit was one of the lucky ones, he couldn't alway's control his power but he found someone who could help him.

" Ah used to go the a school that helped people like me, he said he could help me control my powers and it wasn't working. Ah had gone to take the cure and it only worked for a few weeks before it wore off. My boyfriend and I went our separate ways after that, than Ah left the school and traveled for a while before Ah settled here." She explained, Gambit nodded.

" Why didn't you go back home and stay with your family?" He asked, Rogue chuckled darkly.

" Ah put the first boy ah ever kissed in a coma for three weeks, after my parents were afraid of me, afraid that ah might hurt them, Ah waited till they went to bed than Ah ran away." Gambit blinked, he couldn't imagine going through that when his powers first manifested than to add to that his family being afraid of him? He shook his head.

" Are you afraid of me?" She asked.

" No."

" You should be, Ah can hurt you." She said and he moved closer to her.

" What if I told you I don't care?" He whispered as his face was inches away from hers, her hand was balled into a fist.

" What if Ah told you that if you don't move, Ah'm gonna deck you." She whispered dangerously, Gambit just smirked.

" Well, Gambit alway's loves a good challenge." He moved closer to her and she fulfilled her promise of decking him, she hit him with a right hook and he landed on the carpet with a small thud, his smirk just got bigger as he rubbed the side of his face Rogue rolled her eye's.

" Do you ever give up?" She asked and he shook his head.

" Non, oh I almost forgot. We're going to a Fais do-do tonight." He stood up and walked toward the door, and Rogue jumped up.

" Why?" She asked and he turned to look at her.

" It'll give us something else to do other than training." He was almost out the door before he added. " Wear something casual and pretty." Rogue rolled her eye's as she gave him the middle finger, he laughed as the door closed behind him. Rogue frowned, he never gave her a time! She sighed and decided to go take a shower and get ready.

* * *

It was around 6:30 when Gambit left his hotel room and went to Rogue's apartment, he walked up the stairs and he walked up to her apartment and he knocked on the door. It opened and his jaw almost dropped. Rogue was wearing a knee length white summer dress, she wore white elbow length gloves and a pink 3/4 length sweater, she wore nude pantyhose and a pair of white heels. Her hair was in wild curls and she was wearing very light make up.

" Speechless swamp boy?" She asked and he shook his head.

" Yes, you're usually wearing dark colors this," he gestured to her outfit. " Is a complete departure from that." Rogue laughed.

" This was going to be used for a job, but Ah figured Ah'd wear it today." She shrugged as she walked out of her apartment and locked it, she took Gambit's arm and the two of them walked out of the building.

* * *

They walked into a school gym and saw a lot of people there, some were students, some were married couples with children. Rogue felt a little uncomfortable being around quite a bit of people, but she put on a brave face and she sat down at one of the tables in the corner, Gambit went to get the two of them something to drink. When he came back he sat down next to her, the band began to play a faster tempo and the people on the dance floor began to move in time with it.

" Wanna dance?" Gambit asked holding his hand out to her, she shook her head.

" Nah maybe later." She said, she noticed Gambit didn't take his sunglasses off and she thought it was kind of odd but she really didn't mind. Soon the song ended, Rogue took a sip of her drink as the new song began, Rogue grabbed Gambit's hand and dragged him out to the dance floor. She put one arm on his shoulder and the other was still clasped in his hand as he put a hand on her waist, it was a slower song so the two of them began to waltz, Rogue laid her head on his chest and smiled to herself.

Gambit looked down at her and smiled to himself, he knew he couldn't have a relationship with her but who said a bit of flirting would hurt? He heard the bands music get a little bit more upbeat and fast, Gambit quickly spun Rogue around the dance floor, she giggled slightly, he pulled her back to him and he smiled.

" Having fun?" He asked as the two of them began to move around on the dance floor faster.

" A little." She said and Gambit nodded, as the song got faster so did Rogue and Gambit, the two of them began spinning faster, she couldn't stop laughing and pretty soon so did Gambit. They were going so fast and were having so much fun they didn't see the other couple dancing just as fast as them, they bump into each other so hard they were all knocked down. The girl they had bumped into went to apologize before she let out a shrill scream, her boyfriend looked over and his eye's widened and he pushed his girlfriend behind him, Rogue looked over at Gambit and was shocked, instead of brown and white eye's looking at her they were red and black. Gambit saw his sun glasses on the ground he hurried the get them and put them back on but the damage was done, everyone was wide eyed and scared he heard them mutter the words 'freak' 'mutie' and even 'mutie freak' he got up off the floor and, he shoved anyone that was in his way out of it, he walked out of the gym and Rogue wasn't far behind him. She watched as he pulled a box full of cigarette's out of his pocket, pulled one out of the box, lit it with his finger tip, and he took a long drag from it.

" You're a mutant too?!"

**Sorry it's so short, I hope it was an okay chapter, don't forget to tell me what y'all think please, and thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6: You Always Remember Your Firs

**Hey everyone, sorry this chapters late I hope it was worth the wait though. This is my new favorite chapter and it was so much fun to write. Please don't forget to tell me what y'all thought, thanks to everyone that has faved, followed, and reviewed! I hope y'all enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!**

You Always Remember Your First

" You're a mutant?!" Rogue said as she walked up to him, he turned his head slightly and shrugged.

" Maybe." He stated bluntly.

" Ah just freakin' saw you light that cigarette with your finger tip!" She said as she pointed to the cigarette, Gambit looked from the cigarette to her than back again, he put it to his mouth and he took a long drag from it, he held the smoke in for a minute before he slowly let it out. Rogue saw the cigarette bud turn a purple/pink color before he threw it into the air, there was a small pop as it exploded.

" That's my 'gift', I can 'charge' anything with kinetic energy, I could level a building if I wanted too but the bigger the object the longer I'll have to hold on to it." He explained, Rogue walked up to him slowly.

" Why didn't you tell me?" She asked quietly, he sighed and finally turned around to look at her.

" Why didn't you tell me before today?" He countered, Rogue blinked than she looked down.

" Ah was afraid."

" So was I." He walked up to her, he looked her in the eye's. " If I showed you my eye's, you would've run away screaming, terrified of me. When I lived on the streets I used to be called 'Le Diable Blanc'."

" The White Devil." Rogue translated, Gambit nodded sadly.

" Mhmm, and what happened with that girl in there, is what I was afraid would've happened with you." He said, Rogue moved a little closer to him, they were now standing chest to chest with each other.

" As you can see, Ah'm not running away in fright. Ah think, they're the most beautiful eye's Ah have ever seen." Said Rogue as she put both hands on either side of his face, he avoided eye contact with her. " Look at me, please." He finally looked at her, he hated that he was so vulnerable with her, especially when he had only known her for over a month, but she shared her story with him, it was only fair he shared his with her.

" How could anyone hate your eye's?" She said more to herself than to him, he smirked slightly. Rogue pulled away slightly and she walked past him.

" Why don't we take a walk?" She said, Gambit frowned but followed her. They walked in silence all the way to her apartment. They went inside, walked up the stairs, and when they got to her room she finally spoke.

" Tonight was... Eventful." She said and Gambit chuckled.

" To say the least." He added and Rogue nodded as she giggled softly.

" Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" Said Gambit, Rogue nodded as she unlocked her door, opened it, and walked inside her room, she turned to look at him.

" Goodnight."

" Goodnight." Rogue closed her door and Gambit turned around and began walking down the hall, suddenly, Rogue's room door opened and she walked out of her room, He turned around and frowned.

" Hey, umm, Ah was wondering, since we're floating in the same boat, if you wanted to be roommates?" Rogue instantly regretted saying that, Gambit saw it written all over her face, he smiled at her and he shrugged.

" Sure, why not?" He said, she blinked than smiled.

" Great, Ah'll have to move all of my stuff to my room and find the spare sheets but other than that." She said, she was relieved he didn't think she was stupid.

" I'll have to go back to my hotel to get my stuff so you'll have plenty of time." He said, Rogue nodded and she went back inside her apartment, she went straight to the second room and began clearing all the junk out.

Gambit went to his hotel, grabbed all of the stuff he had bought/stole, checked out of his hotel, and went back to Rogue's apartment. He knocked on her door, and it opened up immediately, Rogue smiled brightly at him as she opened the door.

" You can set your stuff wherever, and Ah can show you your room." Rogue walked toward the room on the right and she opened the door and flipped the switch. The room was 300 square foot room, with a tv on a dresser the right while the bed was on the left, there was a nightstand on either side with a lamp.

" I hope it's okay, I know it's not very big but." She said with a small shrug, Gambit set his stuff on the floor before he turned to look at her.

" It's fine, thanks by the way." He said as he sat down on the bed and began taking his shoes off, Rogue frowned.

" For what?"

" For not being afraid of me." She smiled.

" Not a problem, oh and thank you." It was Gambit's turn to frown.

" What for?"

" For not being afraid of me either." She walked out of the room and closed the door behind her Gambit shook his head, got up and put on sweat pants, and crawled into bed. As he fell asleep he thought.

' A grifter and a thief living together, nothing could possibly go wrong, right?'

* * *

3 MONTHS LATER:

Rogue took a deep breath before she put her foot on the tight-rope, she than put her other foot, she slowly walked across the rope. Gambit walked underneath her, in case she went to fall, and she held her arms out to the sides as she walked. Finally, she made it to the other side and she smiled down to Gambit.

" Ah did it Cajun, for the hundredth time in three months!" She yelled, he rolled his eye's but smiled up at her.

" Yeah yeah so ya've told me," he said. " Now get your butt down here, we got business to discuss." Rogue rolled her eye's but she walked over to the ladder, climbed down it, and she walked over to him.

" What'd we need to talk about?" She asked as she grabbed her water bottle, opened the cap, and took a sip. Gambit pulled out a file and he handed it to her, she took it, opened it, and began reading.

" You remember that artifact I've been trying for the past two months?" Rogue nodded. " It's here, in New Orleans, I've traced it to a Thomas Floyd he has it in his home, which is located in the garden district, but there is a couple of small problems."

" What problems?"

" He has an unhackable security system, it's a G-Tech issue 25 which is the best of the best, our next problem is the buyer wants it by midnight tonight, and our third problem is the place is surround by cameras, motion sensors, lasers, and trip wires." He explained, Rogue looked at him and blinked. " What?"

" If ah recall, this is my first job! You just taught me how to get around lasers! How in the hell do you expect me to get past, lasers, trip wires, and motion sensors?!" She asked, Gambit smiled.

" I know a guy that can help us."

* * *

As the moon was high over New Orleans and the people of the garden district were either sleeping or out partying, three people were currently sitting in a van two houses away from their target.

" So, you're entrance is either the roof or the basement, but if you want less security I'd suggest the basement." A man with short silver hair said, he wore a tight fitted black t-shirt with a pair of acid wash jeans and a pair of tennis shoes, His code-name was Alpha first name unknown. Gambit didn't trust him but with the short deadline, he had no other choice.

" Is there a reason Ah'm wearing this?" Rogue asked as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail, she was wearing a catsuit that had gloves and feet, it was black, made of leather, and she had it zipped all the way up, Gambit couldn't help but notice it accented her every curve especially her-.

" Helloo, did ya hear a word Ah said swamp-rat?" She asked as she waved her hand in front of his face, Gambit blinked and shook the thoughts out of his head.

" M'sorry, what?" Rogue rolled her eye's.

" Ah said, why am ah wearing this?" Gambit smirked.

" 'Cause you look trés belle in it," she hit him on the arm. " But on a serious note, it's so you're quiet, you're near invisible, and so you don't leave a finger print." He explained.

" Why aren't you wearing one than?" She asked.

" Because I'm a master thief, you are a novice." Alpha cleared his throat.

" Sorry to break up your lover's pitter patter but I have all of the cameras, motion sensors, and lasers down. But I can't disarm the trip wires." Said Alpha as he typed on the lap top.

" How unfortunate." Gambit mumbled as he patted him on the shoulder. " Thanks for the help mon ami." Alpha nodded.

Rogue and Gambit got out of the van and quietly ran to the mansion, he pulled out his bō staff and he used it to hurl himself over the wall, Rogue growled as she had to climb it, once both of them were over the wall, they unlocked a window which led to the basement. Gambit crawled in first, than he held it open for Rogue, he closed it quietly behind her and the walked up the stairs, opened the door, and went inside the house.

Gambit stealthily made his way through the dining room, with Rogue in tow, and they went toward a hallway. Gambit walked down the hallway but quickly stopped when he looked at the ground and saw a trip wire, he felt Rogue bump into him and he spun around and grabbed her by the wrist. He pressed a finger against his lip and he pointed to the trip wire, she nodded as they both stepped over it they turned a corner, opened a door, and saw the artifact at the end of the room. Rogue went to step forward but Gambit grabbed her arm.

" What?" She whispered, Gambit pulled a hair pin out of her hair and he dropped it on the floor, the step sunk into the floor and throwing knives shot out of the walls. Rogue gulped.

" How did you know?" She asked.

" That tile was slightly more elevated than the others, which means it's a spring loaded trap." He said, matter-of-factly. They began to make their way across the room, once they reached the artifact, which looked like a genie lamp, and Rogue grabbed it. She turned to smiled at him.

" You just stole your first item chére." He said, somewhat proudly, Rogue nodded as the two of them began walking out of the room, she heard a 'click' and felt something loosely wrap around her ankle, she felt something push her forward. Rogue curled herself around the artifact as she landed on the ground, she heard 'slam' and 'click, click' she stood up, turned around, and saw Gambit locked in a cell.

" What-?" She started but he cut her off.

" You have to get out now!" He yelled as sirens and red lights began flashing, the doors to the room were beginning to close.

" But-!"

" Go! Y'know where to find me! Hurry get out!" He yelled, Rogue relented and finally ran out of the room as the door shut behind her.

* * *

Gambit moved his wrist slightly, he heard the usual jingle of the handcuffs, he knew this was the first time he had been arrested. His family would never let it down, he sighed, he missed them terribly and just thinking about them made him miss them more. The door to the interrogation room opened and two detectives walked in, the first one looked to be in his mid-fifties, he was around 280 pounds, and was bald. Gambit kept track of that in case he decided to fight his way out. The second one was around, 6'5 and was about 167 pounds, he was very scrawny and lanky, he had short black hair. Their names were Browning and Williams, They sat down across from Gambit.

" What's your name?" The older one, Detective Williams, asked, Gambit shrugged.

" Newton." He stated simply.

" Okay, Newton, What were you doing in Mr. Floyd's home at 10:09 this evening?" Detective Browning asked.

" What were you doing in his home this evening?" Gambit repeated.

" Don't copy what I said." Detective Browning said.

" Don't copy what I said." Gambit repeated again but with a higher pitched voice, Detective Browning's face began to get red with anger.

" If you copy what I said, so help me-." He started before Gambit cut him off.

" If you copy what I said, so help me." Gambit repeated with a deeper voice, Detective Browning slammed his fist against the table.

" Look here punk I-." He started before the door opened and in walked a girl with a red mini pencil skirt, a tight red button up top, a black business jacket, and red heels. She wore green eye shadow, pink lipstick, and she had flame red hair that had a lot of volume. She smiled seductively at the Detectives.

" Good evening gentlemen, I'm Tabitha Fox, Mr. Newton's attorney. Now, I hear you're harassing my client is that correct?" She asked as she walked over to Gambit, she was holding a folder in her left arm while her right hand was on her hip and, Gambit noticed, she had a Texas accent, Browning and Williams stuttered for a moment.

" Well, y'see Ms. Fox he was caught breaking into Mr. Floyd's home-." Browning started.

" Are you sure it was Mr. Newton because, according to this photo, taken by Mr. Floyd's cameras, that your burglar appears to be blonde, not auburn." She pulled out the photo and she pushed it in front of them, Gambit looked at the photo, it was him and Rogue, he looked at the detectives who nodded.

" It appears he is blonde, I'm so sorry about the mix up Mr. Newton." Williams said, Gambit stood up and shook his outstretched hand, Browning shook his hand as well.

" Not a problem, we all make mistakes every once in a while." He said as he and Tabitha walked out of the interrogation room. Once they were out of the police station and out of their eye and ear shot, Tabitha pulled off her hair, which was a wig, and she handed to Gambit. She pulled her hair out of the bun it was in and she smiled at him.

" Thanks for getting me out of jail, Rogue." He said as he handed her the wig, Rogue smiled at him.

" It was the least Ah could do after you went to jail for me." She shrugged. " By the way, Ah'm sorry for that Ah should've-." Gambit stopped, turned her to face him, and, he moved his trench coat sleeve over his hand, he cover her mouth.

" Hush, there ain't no hard feeling's over that. But now we have to leave New Orleans." He said sadly, Rogue nodded.

" Well this has been a very interesting job." Gambit said after a moment of silence, Rogue smiled and nodded.

" Like momma alway's said, you always remember your first." She giggled slightly, Gambit nodded.

" Ain't that the truth." Suddenly, he looked over at her and frowned.

" How did you convince those two detectives that I was blonde in the photo?" Rogue giggled.

" Ah absorbed a telepath on the way over, and Ah figured the accent would help cover mine so." She shrugged and he nodded, the two of them walked in silence for a while before she looked over at him.

" Where next boss?" She asked, he frowned.

" Let's start with up, than we can decided." Rogue nodded.

" Sounds like a plan."

**I hope y'all liked it, now every chapter after this will feature a job so if anyone wants me to write a certain job feel free to tell me, I hope y'all enjoyed and thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7: The Smithsonian

The Smithsonian.

* * *

On an airplane somewhere over the states:

Rogue looked out the window and watched all the clouds go by, she ignored the shuffling of cards next to her, as she continued watching the clouds. Sometimes, she wished she had the power to fly, to feel the wind in her face, to get away at a moments notice.

" Rogue?" She heard someone say, she turned to see Gambit staring at her.

" What Cajun?"

" You okay?" He asked, slight concern in his voice, she nodded.

" Yeah Ah'm fine swamp rat, just wishing Ah could fly." She said as she looked out the window again.

" Didn't you ever absorb someone who could fly?" He asked, Rogue cut him a look.

" Ah tried _not_ to absorb people on purpose." Rogue said, Gambit held his hands up in defense.

" Désole, I didn't mean it like that, I know you wouldn't have absorbed anyone on purpose." He said. Rogue nodded.

" So, where are we going?" She asked, changing the subject, Gambit pulled out a small brochure and he handed it to her, she opened it.

" The Smithsonian?"

" The Natural history Smithsonian to be exact," his went hushed as he spoke the next part. " We're going to scope it out first, than we're going to steal the Star of Asia." Rogue frowned.

" Isn't that the worlds most known sapphire?" She asked, Gambit nodded. " How much does it weigh?"

" 330 carats, or 66 grams if that makes you feel better." He said, Rogue groaned.

" How are we gonna get that thing outta there?" She asked, Gambit smirked.

" I came prepared." He said, the put on seatbelt light came on and they followed the instructions and the plane landed, everyone got off the plane and walked into the airport.

* * *

Gambit sighed as he looked around the Gems and Minerals exhibit, he was just itching to take more than the Star of Asia, he looked at Rogue and saw she seemed to be enjoying the exhibit. They came up to where the sapphire was and he glanced around to make sure no one was around.

" Motion sensors around the entrances and exits, lasers around the windows and the glass case." Gambit whispered, Rogue, pretending to look at a brochure, nodded.

" Air duct above the gem, possible lasers or a possible motion sensor, but Ah highly doubt it. That would be our best and safest bet." She said, not looking at him, he nodded.

" I agree." He said as he watched a blonde woman walk past him, he turned around and walked away, with Rogue turning around and following after him.

They walked to the car, got inside, and Gambit began to drive to the hotel. They drove in silence while Rogue went over the building designs, he heard her sigh eventually.

" What?"

" Ah'm trying to figure out how we'll be able to get to the air ducts." She said as she continued reading over the blue prints, He shrugged.

" Why don't you do what you do best?" He suggested.

" Do what ah do best?"

" Yeah, you know, use your gift." Rogue frowned.

" What? Con the guards?" She asked, he nodded, she scoffed. " And how am Ah supposed to do that?"

" You're the con man, you figure it out." He said, she rolled her eye's and continued to study the blue prints.

* * *

At The Hotel:

Rogue sat on her bed with her laptop, looking at the guard schedule. Gambit had gone to get them dinner, she looked at all the different guards that would be on duty. She looked at the dining table they had and saw Gambit's computer there, she shook her head, she wasn't going to be nosy. She looked at one guard in particular, a Carl Donovan. She looked up as the door opened and in walked Gambit, she saw he had Chinese food.

" Hope you like Chinese food." He said as he closed the door, she nodded as she closed her laptop and stood up.

" Love it." She said as she sat down at the table, he sat down across from her, he put the food on the table and he begun handing her some of it.

She grabbed a box of noodles, and a pair of chop-sticks, they began to eat in silence. When they finished eating they threw the boxes away, Rogue grabbed her drink, and she sat down on her bed with her laptop.

" Ah found the guards patrolling tonight." She announced, Gambit nodded as he sat down on his bed and he looked at her.

" Good, did you find the one in charge?" He asked, she nodded.

" Yeah, a Carl Donovan."

" Okay, oh and I found us another job here." Gambit said, she nodded.

" What's the job?" She asked, he shrugged.

" We'll be breaking into a secure facility, it's supposedly a holding place for mutants." He said, she frowned.

" How did you hear about this, 'secure facility'?" She used air quotes when she said secure facility.

" Through the grape-vine, I'll be scoping out the place after we steal the sapphire." He said as he grabbed the t.v. remote, he turned it on, and began to channel surf.

" Who is the buyer for the Star of Asia?" She asked curiously, Gambit glanced and her and shrugged.

" Who said there was a buyer?" He countered, Rogue's eye's narrowed.

" You're keeping it to yourself?"

" No, _we're_ keeping it to ourselves." He corrected, she shut her laptop and she looked at him.

" And how in the world do you-"

" _We_" he corrected her again, she sighed.

" And how in the world do _we_ plan on hiding it without getting caught?" She asked, Gambit smirked.

" Simple. We hide it in one of our many accounts, which can't be traced to either of us, and make sure no one goes inside." He said, Rogue looked at him.

" Do you just think of that stuff ahead of time or on your feet?" She asked, his smirk widened, but he didn't answer.

* * *

The Smithsonian, Midnight:

Rogue sighed as she stood outside the museum, she couldn't believe what Gambit was making her do. She wanted to be in on the theft, not a distraction. She blew a strand of her, now teal, hair out of her face, She grabbed her baseball bat swung it around once before she gripped it with both hands, and swung it at a glass window. She heard the alarms go off, she began shouting wildly in a french accent.

" Louis! Vous tricherie fils de pute! Sors d'ici ou je te jure que tu vivras à le regretter il!*" She yelled but slurred slightly, she saw a door open and two guards come running toward her, she dropped the bat and picked up a half empty liquor bottle and took a big swig from it.

" Ma'am! Ma'am, is everything alright?" The first guard asked, she looked at his name tag, C. Donovan, she smiled inwardly.

" Non, everything is not alright, Louis is going to come out here and explain why he cheated on me with that hussy!" She yelled again, Donovan grabbed her gently by the arm.

" Ma'am, no one lives here this is a museum." He tried to calm her down but she wouldn't listen to reason.

" Ce salaud m'a dit c'est là qu'il a vécu! que la tricherie mère-!" She yelled again, but was cut off when a man, with short black hair and blue eye's came up to them.

" Excuse me gentleman, but I believe this woman is looking for me." He said, Rogue glared at him, than she slapped him. Hard. He winced slightly.

" Louis, Vous tricherie fils de pute! I hate you so much!" She said as she hit his chest, than she turned to the guards. " I told you he lived here!" They sputtered slightly.

" Look, I'll pay for the damages, I'm sorry about what happened here." The man pulled out a wad of cash and he handed it to the guards, the man pulled Rogue away and they walked down the street.

As soon as they were out of eye and ear shot, Gambit pulled the wig off and took the contacts out of his eye's, he looked over at Rogue, as she also pulled her wig off, and smiled.

" Ya did good chére." He said as he got in the car, she shrugged.

" Ah wish ah could've actually stole the sapphire." She mumbled, he sighed.

" I know, and I'm sorry but I thought you'd rather pretend to cuss out a cheating boyfriend." He smiled as he noticed her smiling.

" Yeah ah did enjoy that part." She agreed, they went silent as Gambit drove, but when they were near the hotel he sped past it, she frowned.

" Where are we going?"

" Y'know, that mutant facility I was telling you about?" She nodded. " Well I know where it is, and I know how to get in."

" Are we equipped for this type of thing?" She was beginning to get a little nervous, he nodded.

" We'll be fine."

* * *

Somewhere in Washington, D.C.:

Gambit quietly opened a window, he hoisted Rogue up and, once she's inside, he climbs in after her. The room was made of metal, it was a mixture of titanium and adamantium. They walked as stealthily as they could through the halls, the hall was big and empty, except for one door at the end of the hall. Gambit went toward it until Rogue grabbed his arm.

" Wait, what if it's a trap?" She whispered hurriedly, Gambit shook his head.

" I doubt it." He whispered back, they continued down the hall until they came to the door. Gambit opened the door and his eye's widened.

Cages upon cages were lined up next to each other, all of them filled with mutants, some you could tell had been experimented on others you could tell hadn't. They walked on and looked in each of the cells, some were older, others were younger, Gambit looked in one of the cells and stopped dead. It was a little girl, no older than five, she had short red hair, big brown eye's, and she looked so small and frail. She was ice pale, as though she had never been in the sun. Gambit's anger was flared and, from what he could tell, so was Rogue's the girl stood up and walked over to them, until, she collapsed onto the ground. They noticed she was wearing a shock collar.

Gambit growled and he ran to the other end of the hall, with Rogue hot on his heels, he hated it when people hurt children. He opened the door and he turned to his right, ran up the stairs, and saw a door. He kicked the door open and he pulled three cards out of his pockets, charged them, and threw them at the guards, he put a flash drive in there computers and he typed in a few numbers, and their money began to transfer into his account. Rogue came in after him, she saw a guard out of the corner of her eye, she swung her leg to the side and hit him on the side of the face. Gambit walked over to the control panel and he hit a button. All the cages doors opened and the collars came off, the mutants walked out. Gambit and Rogue walked out of the control room and into the cell room, the mutants gathered around at the sight of Gambit and Rogue.

" Why're you letting us go?" A man asked, Gambit looked at him.

" We ain't with these guy's, we're here to, not only rob them, but to give your freedom back to you." He explained, Rogue looked at him.

" When did you rob them?" She asked, he glanced at her before shrugging.

" Umm, when I took those first guards out." He said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

" So, I want everyone in a single file line, no pushing or shoving, and please keep your voices down." Gambit said, they all nodded as they began to walk out of the room, Rogue came up next to him.

" Ah thought you said this was a secure facility?" She whispered, he shook his head.

" Shhhush! Don't jinx it!" He whispered hurriedly, suddenly, there was a crunching of metal against metal, loud banging, they all stopped moving to look behind them. The wall behind them began to be ripped apart, Rogue's eye's widened. Once there was a huge hole in the wall, a mechanical lion, bear, and ox came out. Gambit glared at her.

" You just had to open your big fat mouth!" He said, Rogue looked at him.

" Your the idiot that brought us here!" She yelled.

" Uh, sorry to interrupt you love birds but uh, don't ya think we should be running about now?!" A boy asked, Gambit and Rogue looked at him, than at the mechanical animals, than at the mutants.

" Right," Gambit said as the animals began to charge at them. " EVERYBODY RUN!"

***Louis! You cheating son of a bitch! Get out of here or I swear you will live to regret it!**

***That bastard told me this is where he lived! That Cheating mother-!**


	8. Chapter 8: The Smithsonian Pt 2

**Sorry this chapters late, and probably the next chapters will be too.**

* * *

The Smithsonian Pt. 2.

* * *

Gambit, Rogue, and the mutants were currently running for their lives, the Bear and The Lion were chasing Rogue and Gambit while the Ox chased the mutants. Rogue ran to her right while Gambit, his left, the Lion went after him while the Bear went after her.

Rogue ran down a long hallway than turned left, she heard the mechanical bear chase after her, she continued running until she came to a dead end. She heard it slowly approach her, she turned around slowly to see it's red eye's staring at her, they just stared at one another for a moment, the bear ran at her. She jumped up as it hit the wall, she landed on it's head and she stood there, balancing herself somehow, before she jumped off and took off down the hall.

Gambit was having just as much luck, as he ran down the hall way he charged a card and threw it at the lion, the card hit its ear and it exploded, he was thankful it wasn't made of vibranium otherwise it would've been that much harder to destroy them. He pulled out more cards from his pocket, charged them, and threw them at the lion, they hit their target, it lost both of it's front legs, it's left side, and than the fourth one hit it's face. When it exploded Gambit ducked into a corner so he wouldn't get hit by debris, he walked out of the corner and took off down the hall and to the right, he needed to find Rogue and the Mutants.

Rogue slid underneath the bear as it came toward her again, she stood up and spun around, she round kicked it in the face, the bear shook it's head before it roared at her, she jumped back slightly until she saw it glow a purple pink color, her eye's widened at the realization at what was about to happen, she covered her head as the bear was blown to pieces. She uncovered her head and she saw Gambit standing there, she glared at him.

" Ah had it." She growled, Gambit shrugged and half smirked.

" Yeah, that's why when it roared you jumped back twenty feet." He said sarcastically.

" Ah didn't jump."

" _Sure_ ya didn't." His smirk widened when she flipped him off.

" Screw You Cajun." She and Gambit both jumped when they heard screaming, they ran out of the hallway and turned right, they followed the screaming until they saw the Ox had cornered the mutants, Gambit ran toward them, but, instead of helping them he climbed the ladder! Rogue grabbed a metal pipe, ran toward the mutants and the ox, and began to distract it. She should've known better than to trust a thief.

" Yo! Ya big hunk of junk! Ah wanna give you a piece of my mind!" The ox turned toward her and was about to charge when, suddenly, Gambit jumped down from the pipes and he pulled out his bo staff, extended it, and he jammed it into the mechanical Ox's neck. The Ox struggled, Gambit made sure the ox couldn't get free before he put his hands on it's neck and he charged it.

The ox exploded once he removed his hands, Gambit jumped off it's mechanical ox's body and he saw Rogue looking at him.

" What?" He asked, she rolled her eye's and threw the pipe to the side.

" Nothing." She mumbled as she walked over to the mutants, they were standing there, stunned.

" Alright everyone, excitements over, start climbing." They nodded and began climbing the ladder one at a time, the little girl, who looked like she had never been in the sun before, tried to climb the ladder but her feet slipped, Gambit caught her and, when she looked up at him, he smiled.

" You need some help petite?" He asked, she nodded, he crouched down slightly and she climbed onto his back, she wrapped her arms around his neck and he began climbing up the ladder and Rogue followed behind him.

When they had reached the surface they noticed all the mutants were gone, Gambit crouched down so the little girl could slide off his back. He helped Rogue up before he closed the shaft, he looked at the little girl and saw her eye's were wide.

" What's wrong sweetie?" Rogue asked as she walked over to the little girl and crouched down in front of her, the little girl shrugged, she noticed her shivering, since it was mid December and the little girl was wearing a thin long-sleeved red jumpsuit and a pair of matching shoes. Gambit took his trench coat off and handed it to the little girl.

" Here ya go fille." He smiled, she took the jacket reluctantly, but she slipped it on and wrapped it around herself tightly.

" Have you ever been outside?" She shook her head, Rogue looked at Gambit.

" Do you have a name?" He asked as he crouched down next to Rogue, the little girl shook her head.

" Umm, Okay, Ah know a place you can stay." Rogue said as she stood up, she held her hand out to the girl. " C'mon hun, let's go." The girl grabbed her hand and they began walking to the car, Gambit stood up and followed them.

* * *

Once they got into the car Rogue sat in the back seat with the little girl while Gambit drove, although, he wasn't really sure where he was currently going he decided he'd start at their hotel. The little girl laid her head, albeit hesitantly, on Rogue's covered shoulder, she inhaled sharply but relaxed when she knew she wasn't absorbing the girl.

" So, do you have a name?" Gambit asked her, he looked at her through the rearview mirror and she shook her head. " Okay, umm, family? Do you have any family petite?" She shook her head again.

" Do you know how to talk?" Rogue asked not unkindly, the little girl moved her head to look Rogue in the eye's and she shrugged.

" A bit." She squeaked, Rogue looked at Gambit than back at the little girl.

" So she finally speaks." Gambit said, a smile on his face, the girl glowered at him before directing her attention to Rogue.

" The only name I would be called was mutate #825368463." Rogue blinked.

" Wow that's a mouthful." She laughed slightly, the little girl nodded, Gambit listened to the girl talk and he looked in the rearview mirror.

" Well since you don't really have a name we could come up with one. Hey, y'know what those numbers spell out when you make them into letters?" The girls shook their heads and Gambit's smile widened. " It spells Valentine, I think that name fits you, it means Strong, and from what I cam tell you're one tough fille." She grinned at him.

" Hey look, it smiles." He teased, she stuck her tongue out at him. " Oh very mature Vally, oh so very mature." She laughed and laid her head on Rogue's shoulder again, Rogue looked at Gambit and she smiled slightly at him, his grin turned into a soft smile as he looked back at the road.

An Hour and a Half Later:

Rogue climbed between the seats and she sat down in the passenger seat, Valentine had fallen asleep sometime on the way to the hotel, Rogue buckled up and she watched the white lines in the middle of the road. Gambit glanced at her.

" She asleep?" He asked, Rogue nodded.

" Yeah, she fell asleep a couple of minutes ago." She whispered as she looked back to make sure Valentine was still asleep, she looked back toward the road.

" What did you mean when you said you knew a place she could stay?" He asked curiously, he noticed her eye's widen, it wasn't in fear, it was more like shock and nervousness at the same time.

" Ah, Ah heard about this school through the grap-vine, it's supposed to be a safe haven for mutants who want/need to hone their powers. And for those who have nowhere else to go." She said the last part quietly, she looked out the window and the rest of the ride was quiet.

* * *

The Next Morning:

Gambit had gotten up early and went to the nearest store to buy Valentine some clothes because, he figured, it'd look kinda suspicious if she went to the airport wearing a prison like jumpsuit. He walked back into his hotel room and heard the shower running and saw Rogue sitting in the dining room chair, he put the breakfast he had got on the table and handed her a cup of coffee.

" Thanks." She said as she took the cup from his hands and took a sip, Gambit sat down across from her and jerked a thumb toward the bathroom door.

" She been in there long?" He asked as he pulled out three boxes of food, Rogue shook her head.

" Not really," Rogue said as she heard the shower water turn off, she looked at the other bag on the floor, he shrugged.

" I bought her some clothes, I thought it might look suspicious if she went to the airport wearing her jumpsuit." He said as he ate his breakfast, she nodded as she grabbed the bag, stood up, and walked toward the bathroom She knocked on the door.

" Hey Val, Here's some clothes." She said, Valentine cracked the door enough to fit her hand through and she took it from Rogue and she closed the door again.

" Thank you." She said, Rogue shrugged.

" Thank Gambit he bought them for you." Rogue said as she walked toward the table, Valentine walked out of the bathroom wearing a grey t-shirt, a pair of blue jeans, a brown coat, and a pair of white tennis shoes. Her hair was an ebony color, her skin looked like porcelain, her eye's were a deep chocolate brown and as big as saucers. Her cheeks were sunken in and she was so thin Gambit was slightly afraid if he picked her up he'd break her on accident. She walked over to the table and sat down, Rogue put her breakfast in front of her and she looked from her to it.

" What's wrong?" She asked, Valentine shook her head.

" What are these?" She asked, she held up a knife and a fork, Rogue and Gambit looked at each other before looking at Valentine.

" Umm well, this is a fork, you poke food with it," Rogue said as she stabbed a pancake with her fork. " And this is a knife, you cut food with it." Rogue used the knife and cut the pancake, Valentine nodded slowly before she cut her own pancake.

Once they finished eating they packed up and checked out of the hotel, the drive to the airport was uneventful and quiet. They walked into the airport and instantly Valentine got nervous, she was holding both Gambit and Rogue's hands they noticed the lights began to flicker and they heard people complaining about the computers. Gambit crouched down next to her.

" Is that your power? To manipulate technology?" He asked, she nodded, He picked her up and he carried her. " You're nervous because there's so many people huh?" She nodded again as Rogue put a hand on her back.

" It's okay sugah, no one's going to hurt you, and if they try to. They'll have to go through us first." Rogue assured her, Valentine nodded and she laid her head on Gambit's shoulder, they went and got their tickets and they boarded the airplane.

* * *

Salem Center, NY:

The plane ride was somewhat smooth, except for an annoying six year old kicked the back of their seats. They got a rental car and drove to the school, Rogue began getting nervous, she hadn't been back to that school in over a year and a half, she quickly changed into a navy blue dress shirt, a pair of black dress pants, a black blazer, a pair of stilettos, and a pair of black gloves. She put on a black wig and a pair of glasses, they pulled up to the school and he parked the car.

It was a mansion, it had two oak doors, Rogue turned in her seat to look at Valentine.

" You remember what to say right?" She asked, Val nodded, she hugged Gambit around the back of his neck and she smiled.

" Thanks for saving me." Gambit waved it away and he smiled.

" Not a problem, be good petite." He said, she nodded at him before she and Rogue got out of the car, walked up the steps, and knocked on the door.


	9. Chapter 9: The Return

The Return.

Rogue and Valentine walked up the stone steps and knocked on the door, it didn't take long before the door opened. A girl with short brown hair and beautiful hazel eye's looked at them, Rogue recognized her as Kitty Pryde aka Shadowcat, she was one of Rogue's best friends. Until Rogue left the school two years ago when her powers returned, Kitty smiled at them.

" Can I help you?" She asked kindly, Rogue cleared her throat before speaking.

" Hello, I am Danny Torrence, I'm part of a group that locates missing mutants," Rogue said in an Australian accent. " We recently found a facility capturing and experimenting on mutants, they tried to evolve their mutations by mixing different types of DNA and the X-Gene. I was wondering if I may be able to come in?" Kitty blinked and moved out of the way to let them in.

" Follow me." She said as they walked, Valentine held Rogue's hand tightly, she looked down at the little raven haired girl and smiled warmly at her, Val looked up and returned the smile.

" In here please, I won't be gone long I just need to get the headmistress." Kitty said, Rogue and Val walked into the office as Kitty closed the door behind them, Val looked at Rogue.

" Are you okay?" She asked, Rogue blinked than looked down at her. The office was exactly the same, there was a leather couch against the wall on the right, a small coffee table was in front of it, the desk was across from the door and there was two chairs in front of it, the chess board on the left side of the room was exactly in the same spot.

" Yeah sugah, just reminiscing." She whispered in her normal accent, she sat down in one of the chairs in front of the beautiful mahogany desk as Val sat in the other.

A few minutes later footsteps could be heard outside the room, the door opened and in walked a beautiful african woman with long snow white hair that was brushed back with a head band and big blue eye's, she wore a blue sleeveless maxi dress with a golden bracelet and gold sandals. She walked over to the desk and sat down in the chair.

" I was told you help mutants." She stated, Rogue nodded and cleared her throat.

" Yes ma'am, our group is called S.M.A.A., Saving Mutants All Around, we find information on supposed mutant base camps where they're hiding, sealing, experimenting, and even killing mutants. I found about twenty to thirty mutants just the other evening in Washington, they all varied in age, although they mostly were in their late twenties to early thirties." Rogue explained in her Australian accent, she than gestured to Valentine.

" This is Valentine, she was formally known as Mutate #825368463, she's only four years old. We believe she may have been born there, she's adjusting well to her surroundings. Before you ask yes she is a mutant, she can control technology." Rogue explained, she looked over at Valentine who nodded, Val closed her eye's and concentrated on the computer. Storm looked over at her computer and saw it was uploading anti-virus hardware than it suddenly turned off, along with the lights in the room.

" That's some power." Kitty said, the lights in the room came back on along with Storm's computer, Rogue smiled at them.

" She does have an interesting power," Storm agreed with a nod of her head. " But I'm also curious as to why you brought her here."

" I assumed you could help her hone her powers and teach how she can use them properly instead of out of fear." Rogue said, Storm and Kitty glanced at each other before looking back at them.

" We don't have special classes for children her age, since most of the time their powers emerge when they're in their adolescents, but I'm sure we can make some exceptions for her." Storm said as she looked from Rogue to Valentine, Rogue knew they wouldn't be able to turn her away, that wasn't what they did, they helped people who had nowhere else to go. They all stood up and Storm held her hand out for Val to take, she looked over at Rogue as she crouched down next to the little girl.

" Hey, you'll be alright, this nice lady will make sure you get everything you need." Rogue said, she so much wanted to say it in her regular accent but didn't want them to know it was her, Valentine nodded.

" Will you visit me?" She asked quietly, she shrugged leaned forward and whispered, in her normal accent, in Val's ear.

" We'll try sweetie, be good, okay?" She asked before clearing her throat and moving back, Valentine nodded before taking Storm's outstretched hand, cautiously I might add, and walking away.

Rogue walked out of the mansion and got into the car, Gambit looked over at her.

" You okay?" He asked, she nodded.

" Yeah, Ah'll be fine." She sighed as Gambit began to drive away from the mansion that was once her home, they drove for a few minutes before pulling into their motel. Gambit got out of the car, walked into the office to get the keys, and walked out again. They found their motel room and walked inside, Rogue walked over to her bed before sitting down on it.

" So, we got any jobs here?" She asked, Gambit pulled his laptop out, turned it on and entered the password, before looking something up.

" Yep, we've got a job. Tobby Langley, CEO of Armstrong inc., husband and father, he currently has a security system made by Alpha and Omega." He said as he continued looking at something on his computer.

" Wait, didn't we work with Alpha?" She asked, He nodded.

" Yep, and that was one of their systems too, they set us up." He slammed his computer shut before grabbing his duffel bag and walking toward the bathroom.

" I'm taking a shower." He grumbled to no one in particular, She nodded before grabbing the TV remote and looking for something to watch.

* * *

Once Gambit had finished taking a shower Rogue jumped in, she finished, put clothes on, and they quickly left the hotel and drove to Tobby Langley's home.

Once there they sat outside the house, they were waiting for Langley to leave so they could get inside, they mostly sat there in silence.

" Y'know, I think I've finally figured out what you are." He suddenly said, she turned to look at him.

" And what might that be?"

" A Grifter." He stated firmly, she frowned.

" What the hell is that?" She asked, he chuckled.

" It's basically being a con man, you're sort of an actress playing multiple parts, you're actually one of the best that I've ever seen. And considering your powers you wouldn't really have to try to act, you'd have their accent, their appearance in some cases, possibly their personality." He explained, Rogue blinked.

" So you're a grifter."

" And you're a thief."

" We make quite the pair, eh?" He smirked, she couldn't help but chuckle slightly. They heard a car door slam shut and saw it's tail lights come on, Langley was leaving his home. Finally.

After the car pulled out of the drive way Rogue and Gambit got out of the car and quickly ran to the house, jumped the fence, and went toward the back yard. Gambit came up to the side of the house with Rogue next to him, he grabbed her arm and pushed her against the wall, Gambit had his body pressed up against hers.

" What're you-?" He silenced her by putting his gloved hand over her mouth, she glowered at him, he motioned his head toward the side.

" There's a camera on the other side of the wall, I just saved your river rat butt from getting caught on camera." He whispered, she blinked and moved her head slightly and saw, as much as she hated to think it, the damn Cajun was right, there was a camera on the other side of the wall. She went to tell him that but her breath hitched in her throat, she didn't notice their close proximity until that moment, they were both breathing heavily, she watched the way his chest rose and fell with each intake of breath, she noticed if she moved her head a certain way her cheek would brush against his chest. Her eye's traveled up his chest to his face and noticed slight stubble on his jaw she glanced momentarily at his lusty and very full lips, than her eye's met his. They were so full of fire and lust, they looked like embers burning in a fire, she realized her thoughts and she quickly shook her head, she shouldn't be thinking about her business partner this way, they were only working together, she wouldn't -couldn't- have a crush on him, it would end badly for both of them.

" Chére?" He asked, Rogue blinked.

" Hmm?"

" The camera's gone." He whispered, she looked up at the camera and saw there was nothing left but smoke, she pushed him back and she ran toward the back door, with Gambit following behind her.

* * *

They walked inside the house and began to head toward the back stairs that were in the kitchen, they quietly walked all the way up until they came to a dead end, she looked at him.

" Now where genius?" She whispered, he held up a hand to silence her.

" They attic is right there, and there is about twenty to thirty lasers, plus one motion sensor, and a heat sensor." He whispered, he grabbed the door knob and slowly opened it, as soon as it opened the laser activated and the motion sensor turned on as did the heat sensor.

" Where is Spiderman when you need him." Gambit mumbled, Rogue nodded.

" Okay, first we need to cut the power to this room," she said and, at first, she didn't notice he was missing, until she did a double take. " Gambit?" She asked, she assumed he was cutting the power off.

She leaned against the door jam when she noticed the right light turn off on the motion and heat sensors, she noticed the lasers didn't turn off and she sighed, she hated lasers. She skillfully crawled, stepped, jumped, and leapt over the lasers, once she was on the other side she saw a small cuboid shaped box, she slowly picked it up and frowned, since when didn't an alarm go off? She shrugged and slowly went through the lasers and, once on the other side, she walked down the stairs.

Once toward the back door she saw Gambit leaning casually against it, her eye's narrowed at the sight of him.

" Have you been down here the entire time?" She asked as she shoved him out of the way and opened the back door.

" Kinda," he admitted with a grin on his face Rogue wanted to wipe off.

" Well ya could've helped!" She said loudly, Gambit ran up to her and shushed her.

" I _did_ help, I turned to power off!" He whispered hurriedly she rolled her eye's.

" You could've helped getting this stupid box! You know Ah hate going through lasers!" She said loudly again as they walked to the car, he shushed her again.

" Can you learn to be quiet?!" He whispered she shook her head.

" NOPE!" She yelled loudly, he finally yelled.

" BE QUIET!" She smirked and laughed.

" Geez keep your voice down, you'll wake the dead." She sat down in the car and he growled before getting in the car and driving away.

They drove toward an empty field, she always hated meeting clients like this it made her nervous, he eased on the brake as they made a dead stop in the middle of the field. Rogue rubbed her hands together.

" Cold chére?" Gambit asked as he turned the heater up, she shook her head.

" Nah, just nervous." She mumbled, he nodded.

" Just don't let it show on your face, 'kay?" He asked, she nodded and calmed herself down.

" So, what do you want for Christmas?" He asked, he was trying to get her mind off what was going on, she looked at him and shrugged again.

" Nothing, we thieves can get anything we want, without needing a special holiday." She said, he crossed his arms.

" Everyone deserves something for Christmas, even thieves." He smiled, she couldn't help but return the gesture. " Also, if you think about it, Christmas is the thieves holiday."

" Why? Because it's one of the two holiday's that most thefts occur?"

" Non, because jolly ol' Saint Nick, AKA Santa Claus, is the patron saint of thieves*." He stated matter of factly, her brow furrowed.

" No he ain't." She argued.

" Yes he is."

" No he ain't!"

" Yes he is!"

Argued back and forth until their client arrived, Gambit took the box from her hands and got out of the car. She watched as he handed the client the box and the client gave him an envelope full of money. They shook hands before Gambit walked back to the car, got inside, and drove away from the field. As they drove back to the hotel Rogue took the envelope and opened it.

" How much?" He asked.

" 210,000." She said, he blinked, she didn't even count it! Either she could tell how much was in it by the weight and look, or she was just assuming.

They pulled into their hotel parking lot, got out of the car, and walked inside their hotel. Rogue kicked her shoes off and plopped face down on the bed, she didn't even bother to take her coat off. He smiled as her breathing got deeper, she fell asleep, he walked over to the bed and blinked, her coat was soaking wet from the melted snow. If it wasn't wrong he'd take her coat off, oh to hell with it, he's done worse than just taking off a woman's coat so why should this be any different? He gently turned her onto her back and he quietly unzipped her coat he pulled her left arm first than her right. He grabbed her coat and threw it over a chair, he took his own coat off and threw over the opposite chair he grabbed his thick blanket from his bed and threw it over her. He made sure she was tucked in before he walked over to his bed and fell asleep, tomorrow would be another day.

***He actually IS the patron saint of thieves, I looked it up just to make sure.**

**I'm so sorry this chapter's late, I hope it's okay, Although I wish I could draw because I would so love to draw this whole story haha! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


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